The present invention relates to an inter-LAN (Local Area Network) connecting system for effecting communication between terminals connected to different LANs through ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) exchanges.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a system tidal makes a connection between LANs by means of an ATM switching network in which data is divided into data units, called cells, each having a predetermined length, to effect data transfer for each cell as a unit. In FIG. 9, reference numerals 1a to 1d denote bridge devices A to D which accommodate respective LANs 4a to 4d, 2a to 2d ATM exchanges A to D which constitute an ATM switching network 3, and 5a to 5h terminal devices (hereinafter referred to as simply "terminals") a to h which are connected to the corresponding LANs 4a to 4d. In the following description, when designated individually, the terminals are denoted by 5a to 5h, whereas, widen designated generally, the terminals are denoted by 5. The same rule applies to other portions and also in other drawings.
FIG. 10 shows the arrangement of an information frame (known as "media access control frame"; hereinafter referred to as "MAC frame") 6 that flows on the LANs 4.
The MAC frame 6 comprises a destination address 61, an originating address 62 and an information portion 63. FIG. 11 shows the arrangement of a cell 7 that is transmitted through the ATM switching network 3. The cell 7 comprises a header portion 71 including a virtual channel identifier (hereinafter referred to as "VCI") 711, and an information portion 72.
The operation of a typical conventional inter-LAN connecting system will next be explained.
Each bridge device 1 has an address table 11 on which have previously been registered the addresses of terminals 5 connected to the LAN 4 accommodated in this bridge device 1, and an address table 12 on which have previously been registered the addresses of terminals connected to the LANs 4 accommodated in other bridge devices 1, together with the addresses of these bridge devices 1, as shown in FIG. 13.
First, when a bridge device 1 receives a MAC frame 6 from the LAN 4 accommodated therein, it checks the destination address 61 of the received MAC frame 6 against the address table 11. If the destination address 61 has been registered thereon, it means that the destination of the MAC frame 6 is a terminal 5 in the LAN 4 accommodated in this bridge device 1; therefore, the received MAC frame 6 is abandoned. If the destination address 61 is not on the address table 11, the address table 12 is searched to identify a bridge device 1 which accommodates a LAN 4 including the terminal 5 whose address is coincident with the destination address 61, thus deciding a bridge device 1 to which the received MAC frame 6 should be transferred.
Then, each time the bridge device 1 receives a MAC frame 6 similar to the above, it issues a call request to the ATM exchange 2, in which the bridge device 1 is accommodated, to make a connection with the destination bridge device 1 in order to transfer cells 7 prepared from the MAC frame 6. Upon receiving the call request, the exchange 2 sets a path to an exchange 2 that accommodates the destination bridge device 1 and also a path from the destination exchange 2 to the destination bridge device 1. The exchange 2 further informs the calling bridge device 1 of a VCI 711 for identification of the set paths. Upon obtaining the VCI 711, the bridge device 1 divides the MAC frame 6 into a plurality of cells 7 each having a predetermined length, as shown in FIG. 12, and transfers the cells 7 to the destination bridge device 1 through the set paths. The bridge device 1 on the reception side assembles cells 7 received sequentially into a MAC frame 6, as shown in FIG. 12, and transmits it to the LAN 4 accommodated therein. In this way, the .MAC frame 6 is received by the terminal 5 indicated by the destination address 61. Upon completion of the transfer of all the cells 7 of one MAC frame 6, the bridge device 1 on the calling side cuts off the call. In addition, the exchange 2 opens the set paths.
It should be noted that the conventional inter-LAN connecting system by means of an ATM switching network is described in detail in Shingaku Giho (phonetically transliterated) Vol. 89, No. 126 "Examination of ATM and MAN Adaptation Functions for LAN Connection" (Jul. 19, 1989, Corporation of Electronic Information Communication Society).
However, the conventional inter-LAN connecting system by means of an ATM switching network suffers from the problems stated below. Each bridge device 1 and the associated exchange 2 need to effect call control processing, e.g., calling and disconnection, for each MAC frame 6 in order to set and open a transfer path for cells 7, so that the processing load is heavy. Further, the transfer waiting time of the MAC frame 6 is lengthened due to the call control processing. In addition, it is necessary to previously register on an address table information required to decide a bridge device 1 accommodating a LAN 4 to which the destination terminal 5 is connected. Accordingly, if the number of terminals is large, enormous information must be set in advance.
In view of the above-described problems of the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide an inter-LAN connecting system by means of an ATM switching network which is designed so that a MAC frame can be transferred without the need for a call control processing to thereby shorten the MAC frame transfer waiting time and it is also unnecessary to previously set in a bridge device information that provides correspondence between the destination terminal and a bridge device accommodating a LAN to which this terminal is connected.